1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet service station. More specifically, the present invention discloses an ink jet service station that obtains its operating mechanical power from an ink jet print head.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ink jet printing systems are found in a variety of faxes, printers and other types of office equipment. To ensure the continuous proper operation of an ink jet print head within the ink jet printing system, the ink jet printing system has an ink jet service station. The ink jet service station performs basic head cleaning and capping functions. The ink jet nozzles of the print head are capped when the printing system is not in use. This prevents the nozzles from drying out, and thus becoming clogged. Prior to printing, and at periodic intervals during a printing session, the ink jet nozzles are wiped clean to ensure their performance.
The nozzles of the ink jet print head are preferably not wiped prior to capping because the excess ink on the nozzles helps to ensure that they remain moist. Because of this, it is necessary that the wiping element of the ink jet service station move out of the way of the nozzles when the ink jet print head comes into the station to dock. Only when it undocks, i.e., when the nozzles are uncapped, should the wiping element move into position to wipe the nozzles.
The prior art ink jet service station used its own motor to individually move the wiping and capping elements into their respective active positions. Although this is an effective method, it is also somewhat expensive as it requires an extra motor, as well as the control circuitry and associated torque-transfer mechanisms that mechanically connect the motor to the wiping and capping elements.
It is therefore a primary objective of this invention to provide an ink jet service station that uses the ink jet print head to move the wiping element into position.
The present invention, briefly summarized, discloses an ink jet service station for a printing device, the printing device having a motor that drives an ink jet print head back and forth along a print track. The service station is installed on one end of the print track, and has a first track, a second track, a slot track, and a wipe sled. The wipe sled slides inside a housing of the service station along the first track, in parallel with the print track. The slot track, which is part of the wipe sled, is diagonal to the print track. The second track, mounted on the housing, is perpendicular to the print track. A wiper is mounted on both the slot track and the second track. The relative movement of the slot track with the second track as the wipe sled is pushed backwards forces the wiper into a working position.
It is an advantage of the present invention that, by simply moving along its print track and engaging with the service station, the ink jet print head provides the power that moves the wiper into the working position. Thus, a second motor devoted exclusively to the ink jet service station is not required, which reduces the overall cost of the printing device.
These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.